[elevator] [cerberus]

[guillotineroom]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Comments

[moonlit_knight]

You think they're making a sacrifice play?

[cultfavorite]

I didn't think it was possible that abstaining would raise our own elevator. That's a glaring loophole if it's true. But it's an explanation for why a newer team with few connections ended up in this position, while the other teams on the upper levels—well. Are us. And Phoenix.

[moonlit_knight]

It's possible... But it would be a terrible punishment for the self sacrificial. They could have just gotten unlucky as the team everyone thought their lowest priority.

[cultfavorite]

It's true. It would practically be a boon to those who would rather sacrifice themselves than play.

[He gives Ritsuka and Minato a Significant Look at that.]

[moonlit_knight]

[ha. shakes their head.]

A bad example to set for all the kids considering her current goals.

[cultfavorite]

I wonder, then, if it's only an attempt to minimize the number of deaths. It's a painful choice, but a legitimate one. To drive them to the top and condemn a team with fewer members in the cage. Not that our number are helping us today.

[moonlit_knight]

That's basically what happened to Bugbear last time, isn't it? That's some people's idea of 'minimising harm'.

[cultfavorite]

They aren't wrong. I'm not arguing in favor of it myself. I don't think I could do it. But I have some respect for the purity of the method of pure numbers. Whoever that team is, maybe that's their game this time too.

[moonlit_knight]

It wouldn't surprise me if it was. And perhaps it would end things faster... But personally, even if it drags it out, I want the losing teams to be as low as possible. My gameplan is balance over crushing victories.

[cultfavorite]

You're doing the right thing in that.

[He eases a little more, smiling and reaching out to squeeze their shoulder.]

[moonlit_knight]

[small smile, bumping against him]

Thanks Saturn.